British rock group that inspired the psychedelic movement of the 1960s and shaped the course of rock and roll. No band has yet equalled The Beatles's popularity and influence. Singer John Lennon and singer/bassist/pianist Paul McCartney played together in the late 1950s in The Quarrymen. With Harrison they formed The Silver Beatles in 1959, added Starr in 1962 and dropped the Silver. The 1964 song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” sparked “Beatlemania” in the United States and the band became an international success. The group's albums include A Hard Day's Night (1964), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), and their films include A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). The group disbanded in 1970, claiming they had fulfilled their potential as a band.